i was talking to someone last year who said that there was a wave location in michigan that was awesome. i remember that it was between south haven and lsp but i cant remember where it was or what it was called. please im, post, or call me if you remember.

I think it is possible that entire stretch is a "Wave Mecca". It depends on the wind direction N or S and of course the intensity of the wind. There are multiple great breaks in that 130+ mile stretch of coastline. You just need to explore and find your favorite.

ooooohhhhhhh weeeeee. another cowboy loookin to ride top bull. yes my friend you are prolly hearing about holy HOLLAND! CAme late to the party for holland but just off the pier it can get stacked with some nice pitching lip (strong fall SSW is when you saddle up for Holland). Like said, each spot can have different levels of intensity, with much still not having been discovered yet.

Some spots like I know well, down in North west Indiana can have real closeout dredging power that emulates the ocean to throw you into turns. Other spots dont seem to have that same intense power IMO but still offers good times! I have also seen places known for big power such as miller turn out to be very soft and slopey when the wind gets too strong;flattening it all out, so get into the search and look at all factors. Nothing better than snapping an overhead wave that bites back oooohhhhhh weeeeee cowboy!

Waves at St. Jo south of the jetty on a NW are amazing. Had one sesh there and still think about it. Weko beach just north of Warren Dunes is also supposed to be good on a NW. I'd be interested in other specific spots too.

One test for a good wave is can you paddle surf it! many times kiters confuse waves with swells which really are make believe in that the kite is whats allowing you to seemingly "ride" it. If your kite is unnecessary at different sections then you really get a feel of surfing-thats really the point of it all! NOW LETS TALK WAVES!!!

fsp, u hit the nail on the head. I am not sure why I could not remember it. well, cant wait to hit it. and yes, the wave stoke is high.

not sure if we met but I have a blue van and kite up and down both Illinois and Michigan. if you don't mind, I will im you when we get some blow and maybe we can hook up for a downwinder. having the van its makes it easy to do the transpostation, probably fit about 5 with all directional board in it. is there a core group of people who do down winders. love to jump on the bandwagon. I just got some ben Wilson kites, so far I love them.

Yeah hsp is nice on strong south. But there are much better spots further north that will blow your mind on a south wind. In my limited travels, I've found north MK is unreal and even further north is the honey hole which is the best wave I've ever seen or ridden on a south wind. I have yet to ride point bêtise and Frankfort. From what I hear you haven't really kited in waves until you've ridden in Frankfort.P

It should be added that hsp is an OFFSEASON kite location. Do not attempt to ride there during the summer. May 31 thru first week of september is OFFLIMITS. It is perhaps one of the busiest beaches on the coast during peak season.

Please don't be an idiot and to try to rig up there during peak season. We don't want hsp to dislike kiters. Be part of the solution not the problem. There are plenty of other places to explore. You can hit hsp like a mad dog when they open it back up for us.....you'll get the whole place to yourself.

North winds are on a whole different level. The best I've seen and ridden has been silver beach st joe down at Ursula's break. So heavy and fast and powerful.....and clean clean clean and stacked. Good lord I love silver beach......ughhh just sick. It's just like riding at the chili bowl down in Baja in San Carlos. Best of all it's right here in mother Michigan.

The magic carpet like ride that happens.You look up and you've gotten under your kite and it's tumbling through the air like laundry in a dryer.Your pinky finger is caught in the slack kite line.A quick glance back reveals a wall of water about to tumble you faster than your kite is tumbling.You look over and aren't quite sure if that surfer is shouting..."Have a Nice Day.." or "Get off my wave!"

Scott, what's your fav wind direction for casino? I do want to check it out sometime. This is one of the spots on my check it out list. Just never seem to get that far down I94......I'm usually going north.

"E" Ok, I will hold you to that offer in between the smoke stacks, train tracks, neon lights, and foggy city lights! Funny part is, this is the same setup you would ride St Joe for what we want at the shoe! But as you know and oddly enough, in the spring the lake can divide vertically for North wind, and so while St joe was sleeping yesterday, the whole west coast was going off.

The magic number for wave minimums is 8ft on buoy 45007. The swells start getting thick, spaced out and long at that point with the inside getting bowls around 4ft but great form. 12ft+ readings on that buoy is ideal and when you get the waves to carry more across the beach that gets pretty mindblowing. What I like so much is that there is no current so the wave comes directly to shore with no angle.

FSP has two key points to the having a great wave spot. One being that surfers and paddle boarders need to be able to ride it and second is that no great wave spot always fires and gives the goods, so knowing a half dozen or so is key. Sheboygan gave up the goods yesterday in spades, but it has been a long time since our north wind break fired to this level. Conditions....

From my time focusing on the breaks around the Sheboygan area here are my two cents

-Barometric pressure is a huge factor in our waves on the lake. I feel we as kites don't full appreciate the effect pressure has on our waves, but the surfers that I hang with here in Sheboygan are always talking about. Low pressure =waves

-Water and air temp, Warm air over cold water does not produce meaty swell, cold wind is the best for waves

-A shore line that falls away will allow the waves to clean up and space out

-A breakwall to cut the wind and current is key of course

-Deep water up to the break to keep the energy in waves. Two Rivers is a great example of place that is just to shallow to handle anything big

-Big side shore wind is the best for waves

Now we just need Jens and West to add to this as these guys have hit most of the spots on the lake in multiple conditions

True words jens. True. I have noticed that at least in my neck of the woods, most kiters don't even begin to venture out into the waves. Most just prefer to hug the pier and stay in the flattest water they can find. I see it everywhere I ride. In MK it seems as if all Kiters exclusively ride inside the break wall...seems quite silly to me, but im an old guy. I prefer more chalenging terrain. Butter gets very boring very very quickly.I'm usually all by myself down at the blue stairs in SoHa even on killer days. Unless the Madison crew shows up.

Also most of my core buddies go on 30 miles downwinders which leaves the pit wide open for hours of down the line fun without any traffic except for the surfers.

I rode more days by myself last year than with other people. Scored some memorable sessions solo. It can be done. there are so many places to get great sessions.

HSP has been firing for ages. I grew up there....windsurfed it for over 20 years. It was only a few years or so ago that kiters found that the place rips.

MK on the north side is unreal, but most will not even consider this as an option. To "out of the way" for most traveling riders.

yeah you know if the waves are good in da haven on a bluebird day, Eroc will be styling it down at the blue stairs.........

the thing about waves on the Big Lake is that they can be rather fleeting and elusive, and often defy prediction; how often have you travelled for hours to get to a location exspectin one thing and gettin another.....countlessssssssssss!! That's what makes it so damn sweet when you get the goooooooods...........

the shape of Lake Michigan results in many, many good waves all around....just got to do some explorin and tune into the energy........

what I tune into particularly is FETCH, FETCH, FETCH!!!!!!!!!; then I pick a corresponding shoreline and zip it with some of my bros. the ability to kite 20 miles of varying conditions along one of these downwinders is quite the revelation......the waves are always changing, the sandbars always fluctuating....out of nowhere you will run across the best conditions of the day in a location that was surprising to you.....

the best waves I tagged last year were on some of these downwinders in areas that have no direct launch....the whole coastline of Lake Michigan is littered with these mind blowing conditions that for the most part go unridden; glad i ain't out paddling around looking for em, all I got to do is to throw caution to the wind and lay down some turns!!!!!!!

and by the way, like Eroc said respect the local restrictions and guidelines on kiting!!

Try to surf when the wind dies on these sometimes killer cleanup sessions . U will see a big difference between kiters who don't surf when in the waves. Hard to describe but lots fluidity comes when ur generating action from the board as u lull the kite. Pro Patrick rebstock is really starting to bring this out. Do it all as Northerner seems to agree and a very natural, flowing art form will set u apart all right here in the Michigan holy water.

There's one spot no one posted yet and I won't either but it looks like Maui on the right conditions. Only hits 2 times a year and you gotta watch for it. When it is good it is perrrr-fect! Scalloped faces, overhead, pe eling for hundreds of yards, yes, you read that right, and it is near chicago. No not casino. Casino never gets this good...I just remember the look on mattys face when homeydog saw these waves teh first time. OMG moment...

If I recall V, that day homey dog continually kept adjusting his 9m cause it was so damn windy...gotta love that marble rye, and don't forget your booties!!! just imagine if that place rocked it more than once or twice a year, hooooocheeeeemamaaaaaaaa

I think Jens' response is a good reality check on the limits of this forum. Yes, this is a precious source of some information and tips. However, to get to the juicy core, there is no substitute for establishing personal relations with those in the know, I'm afraid...Disclaimer: I don't know Jens personally, and I don't know these best spots. But I'm working on it